Canada's Trudeau on back foot over carbon tax

OTTAWA - Polluters should pay up, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insists. 

But pressure is mounting to scrap his signature climate policy, a federal levy on CO2 emissions, as ordinary Canadians see the law increase their own cost of living.

The levy, applied to a myriad of fossil fuels used by both industry and consumers, is scheduled to rise from Can$64 to Can$80 (US$48 to US$59) per metric ton of carbon on April 1, in a bid to see Canadians slash their total carbon emissions by 40-45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.

But it's adding to household costs at the same time that people are feeling the bite from inflation.

Seven provinces have asked the government to pause or cancel the increase, which would add about three cents per litre to the price of gasoline.

Newfoundland Premier Andrew Furey -- a liberal from Trudeau's own party -- was the latest this month to join his conservative peers in seeking a reprieve "at least until inflation stabilises."

Saskatchewan, meanwhile, is refusing to collect and remit the tax to Ottawa.

Ottawa has rolled out more than 10 climate plans since 1990 but all have failed to achieve their goals, making Canada an outlier among G7 nations, with its greenhouse gas emissions rising 13.9 percent to 670 megatonnes from 1990 to 2021.

The environment commissioner in November said its latest efforts could also fall short of the 2030 target, despite government assurances.